Screw-holding device for automobile drive casings



E. c. BRYAN ET AL SCREW HOLDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE DRIVE CASINGS Filed June 3. 1922 Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

'l' Fl E EUGENE COLIBERT BRYAN AND PETER JOHN SONES, 0F HAINES CITY, FLORIDA.

SCREW-HOLDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE DRIVE CASINGS.

Application filed June 3, 1922. Serial No. 565,653.

'T 0 all whom it may concern:

it known that we, EUGENE C. BRYAN and PETER J. SONES, citizens of the United States, and both. residing at Haines City, in the county or" Polk and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Screw-Holding Devices tor Automobile Drive Casings; and we dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in screw holders particularly for use in centering and supportingthe screws used to connect the cover of a Bendix-drive on a Ford automobile to the engine or-transmission casing.

Great dii iculty is at the present time experienced by mechanics and repairmen in assembling and replacing this cover because of the inaccessible and cramped space thereabout which results in difliculty in placing the screws in the proper places and in holding them while the thread is being started. It is an object of the present invention to avoid. the annoyance and trouble heretofore Xperienced in this regardand to save the mechanics time and the cost of replacing this part.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. device in the nature of a relatively small and compact accessory to be sold at small cost and to be of a nature readily put in place and removed after the Bendixdrive cover has been securely mounted in lace.

Nit-h the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinatter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view in outline of a Ford motor showing the location of the Bendix-drive cover;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of the cover and screw holder in position for attachment;

Fig. 3 is a similar view turned at a dif-v ferent angle;

Fig. 4L- is a longitudinal sectional view taken through one portion of the device;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken in a different angular position; Fig. 6 isa plan view of the holder;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the same;

trol pedals are indicated at 2, while the cover for the Bendix-drive is indicated at 3. This cover 3 is in an extremely inaccessible place and it is diflicult to put the screws through the openings in the flange 4 of the cover and to center these screws and get them started in the corresponding threaded openings in the motor.

For this purpose we provide a holder comprising a ring 5 adapted to slidingly fit over the cover 3 and having perforations or openings 6 with counter-sunk faces 7 as shown best in Fig. 8 in order to conform to the curvature of the heads of the screws 9. The openings 6 and their counter-sunk walls are such as to admit the screw heads to such an extent as to expose the cross slots. 10 in the heads to a screwdriver or other tool used by the mechanic to drive the screws home, but to avoid allowing the screw heads'to get past the ring 5. In other words, the ring 5 thus serves to confine the screws in place while it fits up against the flange 4 and the screws are therefore prevented from droppingto the ground where they are often lost and time and trouble 1s consumed 1n thelr recovery. Moreover, the screws 9 Wlll not remain in the flange 4 even though they are initially placed therein prior to the placement of the'cover 3 against the engine cas ng.

The ring 5 is provided with arms 11 and 12, preferably at diametically opposed points, the arms being of spring metal or other suitable material and bent toward one another to admit of their free ends lying yieldably against the cover 3. The free ends are preferably rolled over as indicated at 13 to provide finger holds for catching the free ends and also for providing curved jaws to take against the rounded closed portion of the cover 3 in inserting the device in place. Also these rolled ends 13 provide smooth surfaces. The ring 5 is turned upwardly as cover 3 are being inserted in place.

indicated at 14 and 15 in order to escape closely adjacent parts when the ring and These turned up portions also afford means in which to catch the device by a pair of pliers or the like to withdraw the device from the cover 3 after the screws have been turned home.

the screw heads, the ring being turned if necessary to cause registry of the openings 6 with the screws.

The device is made to assume the position indicated inFigs. v5 and 8 in which the screw heads are firmly held by I the ring. The spring arms 11 and 12 frictionally grip the sides of the cover 3 and. render it unlikely for the ring to back away from the screw heads. With the pants in this condition, the mechanic with the aid of a screw driver only gets beneath the automobile and places the cover 8 in proper position. During the positioning of the cover, should the screws 9 V strike against the engine, transmission casing, or other parts, the screws will be confined against dropping out or the flange 4. Moreover, the turning of the device in a horizontal position will not cause the screws to fall out as is heretofore the case. p

The openings 6 in the ring 5 afl ord free access by a screw driver to the cross slots 10 of the screws and the device enables the cover to'be put in place rapidly and with convenience. In placing the cover in correct position, it will probably be desirable to force the flange 4 directly against the engine casing and this will cause the screws to move through the flange 4 to some extent, but in doing so they will force the ring 5 before them and by virtue of the counter-sunk faces 7 the screws will have two points'of support; namely, both in the flange 4 and in the ring 5 and their escape will be effectually avoided.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing, that the device is simple in its construction, effective in action and may be marketed at relatively small cost.

It is obviou that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereor, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A screw holder comprising a ring. having openings to receive the heads of the screws and provided with means to embrace a part to be attached by the screws', substantially as described.

2. A screw holder comprising a member having opening therein to receive the heads of the screws at one side but to avoid the heads coming through the openings, said member having means to hold it against the screws and toavoid its sliding away from the screws, substantially as described.

3. A screw holder comprising a ring having a number of openings therein countersunk on one side to receive the heads of the screws and to permit the cross-slots of the screws to be exposed through the ring for engagement by a screw driver, and spring arms on the ring adapted to embrace a part to be attached by the screws, substantially as described.

4. A screw holder for use in connecting the covers of Bendix-drives comprising a ring adapted to surround andslide on the Bendix-drive cover and having openings with counter-sunk faces to receive the heads of the screws for attaching thecover, and spring arms on the ring adapted to frictionally lie against the cover, said ring having up-turned edges, substantially as described.

7 EUGENE COLBERT BRYAN.

PETER JOHN SONES. 

